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Diego ran a hand over his face, sitting on the floor of his apartment. Before him sat every Blu-ray of every movie he owned. Each case had been laid out neatly, face up, none overlapping. The whole collection seemed to cover the carpet so completely, it was as if it had formed a sea of films.
It would be beautiful if Diego wasn’t so distraught. He sighed.
“Are you okay?”
Diego craned his neck to look at the athletic, blue-skinned man as he approached from behind him. Diego felt a familiar flutter in his chest at the sight. What the heck is someone so handsome doing in my apartment? And how the heck am I married to him?? Diego shot him a weary smile as the Vaanti crouched down next to him. “Hey, Varyyn.”
“You have been sighing often.” Varyyn wrapped an arm around Diego’s shoulders, leaning his head against Diego’s as they both looked out over the blanket of movies.
Diego couldn’t help but exhale—yet another sigh. “Yeah, I know.”
“I’m sure I will love whatever you show me.”
“I know, I know.” Diego turned to meet Varyyn’s eyes—yellow as ever and filled with sympathy. “But I just want it to be perfect. It’s a miracle we managed to sneak you out of La Huerta, and I want the trip to be worth it.”
“It is worth it to be together.”
“But wouldn’t it be more worth it if the first movie you watched was the perfect first movie?” Diego waved his hands for emphasis. He let them fall into his lap, shaking his head. “Sorry. I’m probably freaking out over nothing, huh?”
“It is important to you. I apologize I cannot help more.”
“That’s alright.” The two looked over the sea of movies again. After a few moments, Varyyn cleared his throat. “I assume I will stay in the kitchen?”
Diego looked around. The cases lined the living room floor almost from wall to wall, effectively blocking the path out of the kitchen area. “Oops, I guess so. Sorry, Varyyn.” Diego shot him an apologetic smile. Varyyn responded by kissing him on the temple.
“It is okay. I can begin making dinner.” He stood up from the floor. Diego silently thanked his past self for teaching Varyyn how to cook. That feeling was fleeting as he looked back out at the movies, the task no less daunting. Before he could sigh for the millionth time, Varyyn’s voice rang out from behind him. “If you are having trouble, maybe ask the others for help?”
“Ooh, good idea!” Especially since I’m getting absolutely nowhere on my own. “Thanks, Varyyn! I love you!” Diego called over his shoulder.
“I know.” Varyyn responded from the kitchen. As the sounds of dishware and food being pulled out began, Diego opened his phone. He selected the group chat, boldly named “CATALYSTS” surrounded by flame emojis (courtesy of Craig). The chat itself was only a few weeks old, but already it had gotten quite a bit of use—plans to meet up, questions about classes, and reflections on the La Huerta trip.
Diego was glad that they had all stayed in touch. A part of him had been worried that they would stop talking to each other even after all they had been through. But that hadn’t been the case, and he was grateful.
Now wasn’t the time to be reminiscing, however. He had a mission. Diego typed out his message.
Diego: Guys!! I’m having an emergency!!
Within a few seconds, responses began to pop up.
Michelle: What’s going on?
Quinn: !!!
Sean: Are you doing ok? Do you need any help?
Diego: Don’t worry I'm fine
Diego: I’m just trying to decide what the first movie I should watch with Varyyn is
Quinn: Ohhh
Sean: Gotcha
Sean: Do you have any ideas?
Diego responded by taking a photo of the movies laid out on the floor. He had to lean back to capture the full magnitude of his collection. The photo ultimately wasn’t the best, but Diego sent it anyway.
Diego: Not really :(
Raj: lol
Quinn: wow
Michelle: people still own DVDs???
Sean: That’s alright, I’m sure we can help
Diego: thanks
Diego: Maybe we can start by listing your favorite movies? Maybe thatll give me some ideas
Raj: ratatouille. duh
Michelle: Legally Blonde
Michelle: Also duh
Craig: Fast and Furious!!!!!!!!
Michelle: absolutely not
Raj: Which one dude there are like 10
Craig: There are 8!
Craig: 5 is best
Zahra: The Matrix
Zahra: also Craig, Varyyn’s first movie is not going to be The Fast and The Furious 5
Craig: its just called Fast 5
Craig: and yall are just haters
Sean: Is any of this anything Diego?
Diego: ehhh
Diego: theyre all good but not good enough yknow??
Quinn: that’s fair :/
Raj: yeahhh
Aleister: Let us not forget that this isn’t just Varyyn’s first movie with Diego. It’s Varyyn’s first movie ever, correct?
Diego: Yeah
Quinn: ohhhh
Sean: Very good point
Raj: whooof, the stakes just got higher
Craig: I stand by F&F
Aleister: It may be best to choose a classic film in order to properly introduce Varyyn to the art of cinema.
Zahra: PLEASE don’t say Citizen Kane it’s soooo boring
Raj: and depressing
Aleister: I was thinking more along the lines of Casablanca.
Grace: That’s a great one! Roman Holiday as well
Quinn: wizard of oz?
Sean: Maybe a musical? Mary Poppins?
Zahra: or psycho lol
Craig: Jarrasic Park is pretty old I think
Craig: Jerassic
Craig: Jerasic
Craig: ugh help
Aleister: Jurassic
Grace: Jurassic
Michelle: Jurassic
Craig: thx
Diego: Agh all of these are great movies…
Sean: But?
Diego: I don’t know if any of them are THE ONE yknow?
Grace: Maybe we can think of this another way.
Grace: Diego and Varyyn are a couple, so maybe something romantic?
Quinn: yesss
Zahra: blegh
Grace: We already listed Casablanca and Roman Holiday
Sean: Maybe Titanic?
Michelle: When Harry Met Sally is a masterpiece
Quinn: Pride and Prejudice!
Quinn: the 2005 one!
Grace: omg yes
Michelle: OMG YESSSSSSS
Aleister: That is a great one.
Raj: I’m surprised Al is such a romantic
Grace: I’m not. hehe
Aleister: For what it’s worth, I’ve read Austen’s original work as well.
Raj: actually maybe its not so surprising
Craig: haha nerd
Grace: But something like that might have too much historical context for Varyyn to fully understand and appreciate it
Michelle: Oh, that’s a good point
Quinn: awwww
Sean: maybe something more familiar to Varyyn would be good
Craig: Like Avatar? Cuz hes blue??
Zahra: Craig…
Craig: What?
Craig: He is!
Craig: And theyre in a magical glowing jungle or something
Sean: I was more thinking that we made a TON of movie references on La Huerta
Aleister: “We” meaning mostly Diego and Jake
Zahra: Fiiine, Avatar counts then. We referenced that one a lot.
Craig: That’s what im sayin! Cuz theyre blue!!
Sean: Definitely. Anything else?
Raj: Where’s Jake when you need him?
Jake: I take a nap for like 20 minutes and turn on my phone to this
Zahra: hopefully not behind the cockpit. we can’t have you crash anything else
Raj: lol
Craig: lol
Jake: rude
Grace: Jake, can you remember what movies you referenced on La Huerta?
Jake: Jeez, there were soooo many nicknames
Jake: No way I can remember them all
Sean: Captain America
Quinn: Ariel!
Estela: Ripley
Jake: OK I get it, I get it
Raj: Woah, even Estelas here
Estela: I was reading since the start
Zahra: haha lurker
Grace: So that’s Captain America/The Avengers, The Little Mermaid, and Alien
Michelle: Along with… every other movie we’ve listed
Sean: Diego, at this point I’m afraid to ask
Diego: Still no luck
Quinn: :(
Craig: Damn
Diego: Sorry everyone
Grace: It’s ok, of course you want this to be perfect
Diego: Yeah
Sean: I’m sure we can still figure this out.
Sean: Any movies we’ve missed? Any more nicknames?
Estela: Top Gun?
Diego felt his heart sink seeing Taylor’s nickname for Jake pop up in the chat. It had been a few weeks, but the thought of Taylor—his best friend—still made him ache as if he had lost her only yesterday.
After a somber moment, he looked back at his phone. No new messages had popped up after Estela’s suggestion. Diego wondered if everyone else was feeling the same as he was.
He figured they probably were.
After a few beats, a single message appeared.
Estela: Sorry.
We’re all in this together, aren’t we? This time, Diego typed a response right away.
Diego: It’s ok. We all miss Taylor
Jake: yeah…
Aleister: Yes, she did always know what to say in situations like this.
Raj: for sure
Grace: What do you think she would say if she was still here?
Grace: about the movie
Craig: Probably something wise
Quinn: definitely
Michelle: Something so simple and perfect it feels like it should have been obvious
Estela: Something like, “do what feels right” or “see what Varyyn thinks” or something
There was another pause in the chat.
Michelle: Uhh Diego, have you asked Varyyn yet??
Diego: uh
Diego: brb
Diego put down his phone and stood up from the floor. He let out an involuntary grunt as he did—he had been sitting in one spot for way too long—and made his way to the kitchen. Varyyn was chopping vegetables. The scene was so domestic that it made Diego’s heart skip a beat.
Varyyn turned his head and smiled as Diego approached. “Hey. Did the others help?”
“Ehh, not really. But also maybe yes?” Diego leaned against the counter as the other man hummed in response and continued chopping. Diego cleared his throat. “They, uh. Wanted me to ask you if there was anything you wanted to watch.”
“Me? I don’t know your stories like you do.” Varyyn gave Diego a perplexed glance.
“Yeah, but I’m asking anyway.” Diego smiled encouragingly.
Varyyn placed his knife down and looked towards the ceiling for a moment, deep in thought. Just as Diego was ready to tell him that it wasn’t that big a deal if he couldn’t come up with anything, Varyyn nodded decisively to himself.
“There is one that you spoke of often. You seemed to really like it, and I liked hearing you speak of it.” He furrowed his brow, remembering. “I think it was called… ‘A New Hope’?”
Diego gaped at him. “Like… Star Wars?”
“Uh. I think so? Is that good?”
Star Wars. Star Wars IV: A New Hope.
It all seemed so obvious.
“Diego? Are you okay?” Varyyn’s voice broke Diego out of his trance.
“Varyyn.”
“Yes?” Varyyn still looked concerned. I should probably do something about that.
“Varyyn. It’s perfect.” Diego went up to Varyyn, wrapping his arms around his neck. “And you’re perfect.” And he kissed him.
As they kissed in that small apartment kitchen, vegetables half-chopped, everything in the world seemed peaceful and beautiful.
Eventually, they pulled apart. Diego looked up at the love of his life, breathless. “Man. Star Wars.” He laughed and shook his head. “I should have come up with that. We even did the ‘I love you’ ‘I know’ thing earlier.”
“Yes.” Varyyn didn’t look like he had processed anything Diego said, dazedly looking down at him. For a moment they held each other, smiling, faces inches apart.
Reluctantly, Diego broke the silence. “I should probably tell the others,” he murmured, “and you should maybe finish dinner.”
“Hm? Oh. Yes. Right.” Varyyn seemed to suddenly remember where he was. Diego laughed and pulled him into another, shorter kiss before finally separating. Varyyn chuckled as he turned back to his previous task.
Diego was still smiling as he picked up his phone, skimming the messages he had missed.
Zahra: lol
Raj: lol
Craig: lmao
Aleister: It will be a miracle if this works
Jake: I sure hope it does
Jake: Dunno if I really want to think through every nickname I’ve given in the past however many weeks
Diego: ok I’m back
Grace: Any luck?
Diego: We’re going to watch….drumroll…
Raj: drumroll….!
Zahra: Love the suspense lol
Diego: Star Wars: A New Hope!
Quinn: Ooooh!
Sean: That’s a great choice!
Jake: Probably one of our most referenced. I shoulda thought of that
Aleister: And it certainly qualifies as a modern classic.
Grace: Tell Varyyn he chose well!
Diego: Will do
Diego: Also, great call, Estela!
Zahra: Def, we would have been here til graduation at the rate we were at
Estela: I was just thinking what Taylor would have said
Sean: I’m sure she would be proud
Diego: Thanks for the help, everyone!
Sean: Of course!
Craig: np bro!
Raj: man, all this movie talk makes me want to have a movie night with everyone
Quinn: That would be so fun!
Sean: I’d love that
Grace: Let’s do it!
Zahra: hell yeah
Michelle: All we’d have to do is choose a movie…